Reliving the Whitney Survey…150 years later

January 24, 1861: Santa Ana Mountains

The Santa Ana Mountains rise between us and the coast. It was desirable that we should ascend them, so [today], Averill, Pete, and I started on our mules to ride a few miles and examine the base and find some practical way to get up them. Hot springs issue from the base, where a bathhouse has been erected. Here Averill and Pete stayed, not wishing to climb, while I went alone to a height of 2,500 or 3,000 feet above the sea, found a practical way of ascent, and made some interesting geological observations. The stillness was profound, the solitude almost oppressive. I found no grizzlies, of which I had heard so much, but on my way back, trying to explore a canyon, got into chaparral so thick that I tore my pants off almost. They were completely ruined—my last pair, but I bought a pair of Averill to get back to Los Angeles with.